Coastal Communications was founded by Glenn E. Bryant, who bought the Hinesville Telephone Company in 1946 and later acquired Coastal Telephone Company in Richmond Hill, merging under the name Coastal Utilities. Bryant, who died in 1999, served as a state senator and was a visionary in business, political, community and charitable ventures. Under his leadership, Coastal became the first telephone company in the nation to install a Digital Class 5 switch.
Today, Coastal Communications is a subsidiary of Madison River Telephone Company, L.L.C. of Mebane, N.C. Madison River is a holding company created to acquire and operate rural telephone companies in the United States. The company is owned by affiliates of Madison Dearborn Partners, Inc. of Chicago; Goldman, Sachs & Co., of New York; Providence Equity Partners, Inc. of Providence, RI; and members of management.
Madison River acquired its first local service operation in Mebane, N.C. in January 1998 under the name of MebTel Communications. Under the name of Gallatin River Communications, the company's acquisition of Sprint's local telephone operations in Dixon, Galesburg and Pekin, Illinois represents its second acquisition. In September of 1999, Madison River Communications acquired Gulf Coast Services, Inc., Foley, Alabama. In March of 2000, Madison River Communications acquired Coastal Communications, Hinesville, Georgia.
Among its principal goals, Coastal Communications seeks to offer outstanding service at affordable rates, state-of-the-art features, good corporate citizenship and support of local economic development. In addition to providing dial tone, Coastal Communications offers a wide variety of high-tech services including Long Distance, Internet (dial-up and high-speed Broadband*), Custom Calling Features, Voice Mail and telephone systems for your business or home, and more.
The founders of Coastal Communications and its parent firm, Madison River Telephone Company, bring together more than 126 years of experience from large and small companies including Sprint, Centel Corporation and Citizens' Utilities, along with diverse entrepreneurial successes.
Madison River's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer J. Stephen Vanderwoude has more than 35 years of telecommunications experience. He has served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Centel Corporation, and President and Chief Operating Officer of the Local Telecommunications Division of Sprint.
Coastal Communications' service commitment is based on providing the latest and best services in telecommunications through experienced employees who are locally available to serve customers.
*Available in most areas
